5 January 2016
INTERPOL Highlights Operation Worthy II Outcomes and Tiger Crime Strategy
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INTERPOL announced that Operation Worthy II, supported by its Project Wisdom, resulted in 376 arrests, the seizure of 4.5 tonnes of elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn and the investigation of 25 criminal groups involved in the illicit trade in Africa.

The Operation took place from January to October 2015 across 11 African countries.

interpol21 December 2015: INTERPOL announced that Operation Worthy II, supported by its Project Wisdom, resulted in 376 arrests, the seizure of 4.5 tonnes of elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn and the investigation of 25 criminal groups involved in the illicit trade in Africa. The Operation took place from January to October 2015 across 11 African countries.

During the Operation, other products were seized, including 2,029 pangolin scales, 173 live tortoises, 55 kg of sea cucumber, warthog teeth, big cat, pangolin and python skins and impala carcasses.

The goal of Operation Worthy II, supported by The Wildcat Foundation and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) through Project Wisdom, was to enhance coordinated law enforcement responses to wildlife crime through cross-border, multi-agency collaboration, systematic intelligence exchange and analysis, and the use of advanced investigative techniques. National coordination meetings were also organized, including a National Environmental Security Seminar (NESS) in May 2015 in Sudan.

INTERPOL also welcomed the Transnational Enforcement Strategy to Combat Tiger Crime. Through the strategy, law enforcement agencies in tiger range countries, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretariat and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) committed to work more closely together by sharing information, enhancing communication and combining investigative resources to target the criminal networks affecting Asian big cat populations. The Strategy was developed during an INTERPOL-facilitated meeting of enforcement leaders from tiger range countries, CITES and NGOs, held in Singapore in November 2015. [INTERPOL Press Release, 22 December] [Congo Basin Forest Partnership News on Operation Worthy II] [Congo Basin Forest Partnership News on Tiger Strategy] [INTERPOL Press Release, 21 December] [INTERPOL Press Release, 20 November]

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